Roll the Dice Again
by CarpeDiemForLife
Summary: One chapter dedicated to the friendship between Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. Due to their less appealing qualities, their few positive ones are often overlooked. Here is tribute to that.  Not slash


A Crabbe and Goyle One-Shot

Roll the Dice Again

During their years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle were basically viewed as Draco Malfoy's dim-witted cronies, great blundering logs with the unpleasant pastime of bullying the other students. More or less, this was true. Vincent and Gregory did indeed take pleasure in terrorizing others, particularly the 'nerds' and muggleborns. But what others failed to see were their more attractive traits: their naivety, their random spouts of bravery, and most importantly their intense bond and loyalty to each other, as well as to Draco Malfoy.

Vincent and Gregory had been best friends practically since birth. Their families were both followers of the Dark Lord, and because their parents were close and often met up for business, they spent much of their childhood together. In fact, Vincent and Gregory did not really have _any_ friends other than each other for the first eleven years of their lives, which of course caused the bond between them to be incredibly strong.

They grew up in their respective households with the same evil tendencies, the same keen interest in the Dark Arts, and the same intense love of food. Upon first arriving at Hogwarts, the two immediately grouped themselves with the son of the powerful Death Eater Lucius Malfoy: Draco Malfoy. They admired his slick nature and his tricky tongue. Over their next several years in school together, Draco was the mouth and they were the muscle. Vincent and Gregory were more than happy to allow this: they still got to participate in a fair amount of peer torment.

Through thick and thin, Vincent and Gregory stuck together and aided Draco in anything he needed, even silly things like fetching his books, because that's what one does for a friend and leader.

In their fifth year, Draco, Vincent, and Gregory all joined the Inquisitorial Squad, the ideal job for them. Obedient as ever, Vincent and Gregory continued to tag along with Draco even on his crazy night patrols and watches.

The sixth year was the one that brought real change to the trio. Draco became moodier, more distant. He would stay up late at night in the common room writing, scratching out almost as much as he wrote. Vincent and Gregory were concerned about their friend's welfare, but he told them nothing and snapped at them when they dared to ask.

Concern turned to worry, worry turned to bitterness. The two boys grew tired of obediently following Draco's ridiculous orders without any explanations.

One Sunday morning, Draco joined Vincent and Gregory for breakfast like he had not done for the first few months.

"We need to talk back in the common room," said Draco. "I have a job for you two- Oh for God sake Crabbe, stop drooling over the food and just eat it!" he said irritably, for Vincent's mouth had indeed dropped open in appreciation of the breakfast feast before him.

"You too, Goyle." Gregory quickly closed his own mouth and began to shovel in food. Vincent also closed his mouth, but a dark look filled his eyes.

"Why ought we to be listenin' to you, huh Draco? What've you done for us since the beginning of the school year? Nuthin', that's what. You little putz, I could take you out myself-" Vincent was riled up, but Gregory simply placed a hand on his friend's arm and applied pressure. Once he had gained Vincent's attention, Gregory shook his head no.

Shoving his practically bare plate away, Draco flushed in anger and embarrassment and stood up.

"Come with me to the common room, _now_." Vincent and Gregory shared a disgruntled look but pushed their plates away as well and followed their 'friend'.

Soon after, in the Slytherin common room...

"Fat chance of that!" Vincent yelled. "I am _not_ dressing up as a girl!"

"You won't be dressing up as a girl you dim-wit!" shouted Draco in return. "You'll become one, only for a short time. Ever heard of the Polyjuice potion?" Draco's answer came in the form of silence and uncomfortable looks.

"It's a potion that will enable you to take the shape of another person for a little bit of time. That's how you'll be posing as girls. No one will expect young, innocent 1st-year girls to be up to anything. You two are a bit more noticeable."

"Hey! What're you sayin'?" Now it was Gregory getting aggravated. "You callin' us fat or something?"

"No stupid! But people know you hang around me, don't they?" explained Draco harshly. "I have to be inconspicuous... that means subtle and unnoticeable, by the way." Draco sneered and turned to leave the common room.

"I'm going to need one of you ready to help me tonight. Choose which one of you, I don't care. But do it." Draco strolled out of the common room without another word.

"Greg, this is _shit!_" Vincent grumbled. "I don't want to do this; it's ridiculous. What are we getting out of this anyway? He won't even tell us what the hell it is he's doing."

"What will we get out of it? Vince, if he succeeds in whatever the Dark Lord has ordered him to do, and with our help... think of it! We'll rise above our fathers; we'll have honored places with the other Death Eaters. It's worth it in the end," persuaded Gregory.

"Well fine, if you see so much value in it, _you_ take the stupid potion and be a girl," said Vincent forcefully. At this Gregory shifted on his feet uncomfortably.

"I'd rather not... why don't you take the first shift Vince?"

"Hell no!"

"Well one of us has to!" The two friends stood, perplexed as to how they should solve their dilemma.

"Here," Gregory offered, as he began to rummage through his drawer of belongings. Before long he pulled out two dice.

"I'll roll you for it. A total of six or lower, I take the job. Seven or higher, you take it. Alright?" Vincent moodily assented and anxiously watched his companion roll. The dice turned and turned and landed on... 3 and 5.

"Three... five... that's... Argh! No! Roll the dice again!" yelled Vincent.

"Not happening. It's your job, fair and square." Vincent growled unhappily.

"Fine. But each time we have to do this stupid job, we're rolling to see who goes. I'm not doing it every single time he wants us to do it." Gregory nodded in agreement.

"Alright. Deal." The friends shook hands and the tension between them dissipated.

Such was the way that their sixth year passed. Each time Draco ordered one of them to keep watch outside of the Room of Requirement for him they would roll for the "honor".

At the end of the sixth year, a battle ensued in Hogwarts that resulted in Draco running away with the other Death Eaters. Vincent and Gregory were dumbfounded, unsure of what to do with their leader gone. Neither one had ever been particularly gifted in decision making, so their bewilderment and sense of uncertainty remained over the summer and into the beginning of their seventh year.

Soon however, they both adjusted to the new faculty and rule. They began to excel in areas, like the Cruciatus Curse, and their talents were put to use by the Carrows. Over the year, both boys began to develop their own independence, but particularly Vincent. Always the slighter smarter of the two, he was fueled on by his successes and became an incredibly skilled wizard. Gregory was not far behind his friend, but he never quite developed the sense of independence that Vincent had; Gregory still felt the pull of his allegiance to Draco.

Although Vincent became a more powerful wizard, he never asserted dominance over his long-time best friend the way that Draco had. Instead, Vincent and Gregory continued to use their method for solving disputes the way they had the previous year: rolling the dice. Despite this, Gregory did build up some level of dependence on his friend and was glad he was not left entirely alone.

"This is just brilliant innit Vince?" Gregory said as they walked down a corridor together. "Rulin' the school like this 'n all. Hey! What you lookin' at ya dweebs?" A few frightened second-years scurried away as Gregory flexed his muscles without breaking his stride. Vincent and Gregory both sneered and kept moving.

"Damn right Greg. If only it 'ad been like this since our first year. No bloody _Draco Malfoy_ to order us around," he spit out the name with contempt.

"Well... I mean... I don' know 'bout _that_ Vince..." muttered Gregory. Vincent turned to him in surprise, slightly irritated.

"Are you honestly sayin' you don't like it better, just the two of us? That little blond-haired freak only brought us down. Now that we're free of him, we're in control. We rule this place. No weakling like 'im around to be a bother. Just us two, Greg- just you and me."

Gregory gave a large, dumb-looking grin, being easily persuaded as he was.

"You're right Vince. Now come on. We don't want to be late to our invitation to join the Carrows in running their detentions." The two boys shared a sadistic grin, and walked off.

At long last, the end of the year came around. This time a battle took place like none the wizarding world had ever experienced.

The Death Eaters were outside of Hogwarts, attacking. Draco entered the castle and the trio was reunited. There was no time for happy (or otherwise) reunions however.

"Listen, I have an idea of what Potter's up to," Draco told them. "We're going to wait here in this corridor. Can you both manage a spell to cloak yourselves in invisibility?"

Vincent and Gregory both nodded, but the bitterness began to build up in Vincent at the pompous way that Draco simply assumed command upon his return, and how he addressed them like morons.

The three waited in the corridor for some time until what they had been waiting for happened. Shivering with excited nerves, they listened as Harry told Ron and Hermione that they needed the "diadem". Once Harry, Ron, and Hermione had slipped into the Room of Requirements, Gregory whispered,

"What's a-"

"Shhh!" Draco silenced his companion. Quietly, the three entered the Room of Requirements and formed a triangle with Draco standing behind Vincent and Gregory. They came upon Harry as he was reaching for something on top of an old cupboard.

"Hold it, Potter," sneered Draco. Vincent and Gregory had their wands pointed right at Harry as he spun around in surprise. The four boys soon engaged in a vicious conversation and the three Slytherin boys felt safe in knowing it was three against one when-

"Harry? Are you talking to someone?"

Vincent whipped around, pointed his wand towards the voice and shouted,

"Descendo!"

"No!" Draco yelled. Draco went on to demand that Vincent not harm the room or Potter, but Vincent had had enough.

"Who cares what you think?" he said viciously. "I don't take your orders no more, _Draco_. You an' your dad are finished."

"Harry? What's going on?" Ron yelled from another part of the room. Vincent began to mock him when he noticed Harry's movement.

"Crucio!" Harry dodged the spell.

"Stop!" Draco yelled furiously. "The Dark Lord wants him alive-"

"So I'm not killing him, am I?" Vincent yelled in return. Gregory simply stood, dumbfounded, not knowing which of his friends he ought to be following. "But if I can, I will, the Dark Lord wants him dead anyway, what's the diff-"

Suddenly a stunning spell was shot at Vincent, and Draco yanked him out of the way. Vincent turned to see Hermione and in a rage he began to fire killing curses wildly.

Harry succeeded in disarming Gregory and then Hermione stunned him, while Draco hid behind a wardrobe (his wand having previously been knocked from his hand). Vincent however was overtaken by his anger, and his bitterness, and his desire to eliminate Potter and his friends.

"Fiendfyre," he whispered. Immediately bursts of flame began to rise, devouring the room in their evil intent to consume all things.

"Like it hot, scum?" Vincent roared as he began to run from the room. But only a few moments later he realized… he could not control the fire. The flames crept up on him and began to lick the bottom of his pants. He screamed in fear now, and ran for all he was worth. But it was not enough to save him.

Draco grabbed the immobilized Gregory and began to pull him towards the exit, but he could not move fast enough with his friend in tow. Heaving, he managed to get Gregory and himself on top of a pile of burning desks. Gregory was now unconscious, but Draco shouted for all he was worth until Harry, Ron, and Hermione came back and saved them.

Exhausted, the five young wizards fell out of the room into a tumbled heap. The impact seemed to wake Gregory and he lay where he was, confused and frightened.

"C-Crabbe," uttered Draco. "C-Crabbe…" The disaster was only starting to sink in. Gregory looked around. Where _was_ Vince?

"He's dead," was Ron's unkind response.

Dead? Gregory lay in shock, not processing what he had heard. How was this possible? How had it all gotten so out of hand? Dead? What was he to do now?

Imagine the loneliness of realizing that the one person who has always been with you for your entire life… is gone. Imagine the desperation of feeling alone in the world, not a friend left to you. For in that moment, Gregory did not remember to think of Draco as a friend. Even though Draco had saved him from the fire, the only friend his brain recognized was Vincent, the one who had always been there.

Some time later (Gregory did not know when, but Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco were all gone by this time), Gregory picked himself up from the floor and swayed to his feet. His mind was empty of all thought, other than the horrible demise of his best friend.

Hearing and seeing almost nothing, he walked in a trance through the halls. Somehow he managed to avoid any of the fighting, and he slowly made his way to the Slytherin common room. He pushed open the door (the portrait had fled at the start of the battle) and plodded his way into the boys' dormitory.

From the top of Vincent's dresser, he picked up the two dice that had such a history with Gregory and Vincent.

"Six or lower... and this tradition ends. Seven or above... and I join you Vince," whispered Gregory.

Gregory prepared himself to roll the dice again, one last time.


End file.
